Means for training young trees.



ATENTED SEPT. 19 1905.

TERES.

No- 799,999. P

J. G. MASSARD.

MEANS FOR TRAINING YOUNG APPLICATION FILED I'EB.27,1902. RENEWED JULES OHALIGNE MASSARD, OF NANTES, F RANGE.

MEANS FOR TRAINING YOUNG TREES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1905.

Application filed February 2'7, 1902. Renewed July 15, 1903- Serial No. 165,657.

T0 00% whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Jonas CHALIGNE MAS- SARD, a citizen of the French Republic, and a resident of Nantes, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Training Young Trees, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in means for training young trees, and has for its object to obviate the various objections which exist more or less in the various appliances heretofore employed in connection therewith.

It has been customary to employ wire, cords, and osier branches applied over canvas strips to form an attachment, which is very unsightly and, moreover, harbors multitudes of insects and their broodings. Further, the said attachment frequently is the cause of injury to the young tree and often produces a restriction, or it may break at an inopportune time and abandon the tree and allow it to grow one-sided. For obvious reasons it is therefore necessary to inspect the ordinary attachments at frequent intervals to adjust and replace the same when necessary without, however, thereby avoiding the aforesaid objections. Now I overcome these objections by the adoption of the improved guide-prop attachment for trees, which forms the subject of my present invention, and which will guide the young tree without injury until the latter is strong enough and able to dispense with the prop.

I will describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows an elevation of a malleable band ready for use. Fig. 2 is an elevation of a steel band for use as aspring. Fig. 3 is an edge view of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an edge view of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a blank of a docket for use with the said bands. Figs. 6 and 7 are an elevation and plan, respectively, showing the application of my attachment.

The same parts are designated by the same reference-letters in all the figures.

The attachment comprises mainly two metal bands B A C and D, the former of which bands is made of malleable iron, while the latter band is formed of steel. The two end portions B and C of the band BA C are narrower than the central portion A. In said central portion A are formed two rectangular holes e 'gaged in the hole is.

and f, and another hole g, of special form,

while, furthermore, two movable rubber rings are placed near each end of the middle portion A, as shown. tion B is formed with an enlarged head of the same width as the central portion A, which has a rectangular hole h of the same size as the holes 6 and f and also a smaller circular hole '5. The portion 0 is of uniform width and is formed at its base with a small rectangular hole it and at its outer end with a small round hole j, similar to the aforesaid hole 6. The band D, of tempered steel, is of nearly the same length as the part A of the band B A G, and is of a width to enable it to engage with sufficient play in the holes 6 and f of said band B A C. One of its ends is softened to such a degree as to be perfectly malleable, and the opposite end is coiled, as indicated in the drawings.

Fig. 5 shows the docket of sheet-iron formed with small ears designed to be applied to the outside of the band B A C when deemed useful. It will be easy to inscribe any particulars upon the said docket either by the aid of acidulated fluid or by means of stamping-letters. The docket can be securely fastened to the band B A C by bending the ears over the sides thereof.

The attachment is secured around the tree and its guide-prop in the following manner: The straight portion of the band D is first introduced in the hole f of the band BA C, and three rubber rings are then placed upon the band D, their positions being regulated in The extremity of the por accordance with the form and thickness of the a tree, and finally the same extremity of said band is engaged in the hole 6. Thereupon the extremity is then curved to form a hook symmetrically, but inversely, to the other end. It should be remarked that it is necessary to arrange the said hook ends as shown in Fig. 7 In this manner the assemblage assumes the form of an arc of a circle, with B A O for are and D for cord. The apparatus is then applied to the young tree, while the end C of the band B A Cis passed through the hole g, which has been left free up to now. The two ends B and C are drawn together until the small tooth formed in the hole 9 can be en- The treeis thus secured between the spring-band D, furnished with three rubber rings and the extremities of the part A, which are also furnished with rubber rings. By drawing the two extremities B and 0 together a band'is formed around the guide-,

prop. To this end the two ends B and C are bent around the latter, and after engaging the end G into the hole It it is strongly pulled and then flattened over by means of suitable pliers. If this manner of fixing is, however, unsuitable for any reason, notably if the guide-prop should be too thick, a wire may be drawn through the holes '5 and j and then twisted together. As in time the tree grows thicker, it presses against the band D, covered with the rubber rings, and thus causes said band to yield gradually by reason of its elasticity, so that the latter can never produce injurious pressure on the young tree, While yet maintaining the same closely attached to its guideprop. When the tree can be left without the guide-prop, the latter may be easily unfastened and utilized elsewhere.

Though I have shown and described my attachment as applied to guide-props for trees, it may also be usefully employed for other purposes, such as for securing lead pipes, copper, or iron pipes in connection with water, gas, air,or steam conduits, speaking-tubes,&c.

WhatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s

A device of the character described comprising a metallic band adapted to be bent as described and provided intermediate its ends with slots 0, f, g one end of the band being adapted to be passed through the slot g, and into proximity to the opposite end of the band, a tooth on the band projecting into the slot r the said band being also provided with an aperture It, means for detachably securing the adjacent ends of the band together, the said band being adapted to receive a label which may be detachably secured upon the part A, B, C; and a second spring-band adapted to have one of its ends passed first through the slotf and then through the slot e and to be detadchably connected by its ends to the first ban.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

JULES oHALIGNE MASSARD.

Witnesses:

G. M. OGLEBEAU, NANTREE. 

